Songs of Silence
by Kupo Stiltzkin
Summary: Another series of Xenosaga unrelated short stories, in terms of daily lives and loss. [3: For Kevin Winnicot, courtship was a matter of life and death.]
1. 1st song: Beloved Daughter

**A/N:** One shot. Written because I've totally butchered chaos' character in Enter the Encephalon, and because I love the Jr.-MOMO-Sakura interaction. Spoilers from _Ep.II_ abound. Don't say I didn't warn ya… Timeline: Ep. II, beginning of disc 2.

* * *

**Beloved daughter**

It was a little white house amidst the corn field.

I saw it once in my dream, and thought it seemed perfectly too suited for my taste. There was a small pink bed, complete with several stuffed toys at the bed's corner, and the Bunny mascot stood guarding at the bed's side.

Every time the sun sinks, the owner will sit at the white bench in front of her house, hum in tune to the melody of her favorite music box, and swing her pink shoes from side to side beneath the bench. And she will admire the orange orb, painting her secret hideaway in red orange blush. She will enjoy the wind blowing from the corn field, and live there eternally.

For that place is perfect.

It was a dream; there fore the place is perfect. I sat on the bench once, inhaled the scent of fresh corns budding from the stalks, and thought about it. I could stay here _forever_.

The owner is always in a fair colored dress, and she adored that place, like a favorite dream house. I saw her once in my dream, holding a gray furred feline in her arms, and she raised her eyebrows at me before running back in to the house, with the cat's bell ringing at the end of her hurried footsteps. When I got in, I found Rubedo. He's still shy and gentle, at the tender age of twelve summers, untainted by the war, deaths of his siblings and conflicts of life, and he would smile gently. I have never seen him smile like that at me.

Rubedo. It's such a beautiful name. When I asked for permission to greet him by that name, I half regretted my observation abilities, as I saw the dismissal in his eyes even before he shook his head and muttered the word 'No'. He backed away from the request, half-joking about the nickname I gave Ziggy, and let out a laugh that's so strained it almost made me wince. Later, the real reason occurred to me. I, agonizingly, have reminded him too much of one of his most important person, and it pained him to hear me utter the word 'Rubedo'. Though there are countless of 100 series realians on board the Durandal, I resembled _her_ more than anyone else, more than the Kirschwassers, more than the 100 series, or any of Daddy's creations.

_'You can become my Sakura...'_

I _can't_, daddy. No matter how much I try, I can never be her. Much like it, Mommy's rejection of me has been occurred because of this.

_'You little Realians weren't even born from a woman's womb.'_

Your brother could be a psychotic murderer and guilty of every statutory rape, Jr. He can be anything but there's one thing he's not. He's not a liar, and he never will. My Cherry Brandy sisters adored him because of that, and I adored you, just like my older sister Sakura had.

I could have cried, denied the fact that I wasn't, yelling at him to stop filling me with the horrid details of my birth. But I wasn't programmed to express any of my anger, jealousy or loathing. Though I could smile and laugh from my heart, cried with all my soul, I was unable to perform any acts of loathing and hurting. Forever I would be the sweet, loving and doting daughter of the Mizrahis.

Mommy tried her best to like me, the second daughter to think about, and not the substitute daughter she wanted so much ever since my older sister's life perished. Mommy would stare at the copy of her late daughter's chin and mouth, ignored my yellow realian eyes and unnatural pink hair, and took me in her arms. I had wished for more natural green eyes and likely chocolate dyed hair, as I will resemble mommy that way, be similar to Sakura, so she could love me like she loved her. But the part of being a realian is to serve a purpose, and I returned her embrace like the devoted daughter I was planned to be.

Every time I think about it I felt like my head is going to explode, my throat's been rubbed down with sandpaper, and if I was not too hot it's too cold.

"MOMO?"

I didn't look up, keeping my stare at the floor. The speaker was already obvious, nobody could ever have that soothing and concerned tone at the same time.

"I'm… all right." _I think_._ Not_.

I was down at the floor on my knees and palms, and from my limited eye sight, I could see him down on one knee, levering his eyes to mine. "Are you sure?" he said, brushing gloved fingers on my cheek.

"…No." I couldn't lie, though I wanted to.

"You should rest. You look really pale."

I finally raised my head to look at him from the rim of my beret, and there he was, with the most soothing smile I've never seen during 14 years of my activation. Our eyes met in silent communication, and I blinked, feeling my tears well up.

"Who am I, chaos?"

The reply was a minute of his tensed knuckles on my shoulder. "Shouldn't the answer lie in there?" He pointed lightly to my chest, where my artificial heart was pumping synthetic blood through my man-made aorta and fake veins.

I shook my head forcefully, feeling my head spinning at the same time. "This… can't respond to my questions. Whenever I ask something to it, it never replies. Nor can I tell it to stop pumping."

I couldn't ask this to Ziggy, not with his long unforgotten memories of his departed wife and son, and remind him of the cruel details of his metal limbs and synthetic heart. Remind him that he once had the real heart to support him through life with a real family that he once belonged to - and lost now. It will only tell Ziggy again how he seeks the need to replace the last remaining human part of him with contraption pieces, and I will lose the big brother I learned to adore and rely so much.

Shion could run her fingers across my hair, disentangle it despite how it never got into a mess, and give me the warm hug like she used to. But she wasn't here now, and I couldn't bare the thought of burdening her with my trivial troubles.

chaos was silent instead, much to my dismay, and he supported me to stand, holding my shoulders on his arms' length. "You should get some rest."

He tucked me in to bed once we got into the cabin, just like Shion usually would, and sat next to my cot. His eyes fell on the Bunny mascot at the cabin's corner, and a thin smile prodded his lips.

"Jr. gave it to me," I answered before the question shot mid-air, "He said that… I will like it."

"And you like it, don't you?"

"I do. Until I saw the exact replica inside Sakura's room."

_Replica. Sakura._

"Jr. knew Sakura long before he knew me, and he knew Sakura likes the Bunny mascot as well… he must have thought that I will like the mascot just as Sakura did."

"MOMO…" chaos sighed, gripping one of my outstretched hands lightly, while the other hand was stroking my hair with much patience. "Why would you think yourself as Sakura?"

"Daddy wanted me to become her."

"You're not her. You can have her face, her smile, her voice, even her personality, but you're not her. Don't think yourself as a replacement, MOMO, but consider you as yourself."

"Daddy said-"

"It's good that your daddy hoped that," He patiently explained, "but I believe he wished that you can become that second daughter to him, as Sakura's sister, not as Sakura's replacement. You're named MOMO, not Sakura, and be proud of that." His hand still patiently ran through my hair, whispering words that would buoy my life up from that moment on.

"Love is very patient and kind, never jealous or envious, never boastful or proud, never haughty or selfish or rude. Love doesn't demand its own way. It's not irritable or touchy. It doesn't hold grudges and will not notice when others do it wrong. It's never glad about injustice, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

I went to hibernation not long before he finished the phrase, and I could feel the slight movement of his gloved fingers on my eyelashes, brushing away the remains of tears.

"Love never ends."

_Thank you very much, chaos, I can never thank you enough._

I longed to say these words to him, like the lost lamb to its shepherd. But the sentence is caught in the middle of my illusionary universe and budding corn stalks, and echoed all over its corner. And in my dream, he smiled and said _you're welcome_.


	2. 2nd song: Empire of Colors

**A/N: **timeline is pre Miltian Conflict. Recommended that you finished XS Ep. II first before reading, since there're spoilers abound.

**-**

**Empire of Colors**

-

_'Tinkerbell was very, very jealous that she'd poured poison over Wendy's cake.'_

_'She's one rotten fairy'_

_'That's not rotten. She's just lonely.'_

_'She'd kill to get whatever she wants. That's what we call selfishness.'_

_'But if Wendy dies, Peter Pan will come back to Tinkerbell.'_

_'She can learn to share. Besides, Peter was very angry when he finds out.'_

_'Don't you get it? Before Wendy showed up, Peter belongs to Tinkerbell and the Lost Boys. But ever since she came, she seduced him away, and, Peter was too fixated on her.'_

_'Listen here, Albedo...'_

_'If only she doesn't exist, he'll come eventually come back to me.' _

Nigredo wasn't even sure if they were talking about the book or not anymore.

Even if you're born as the youngest in the family, it doesn't necessarily mean that you will receive all the pampering and spoiling from your parents. Being born as the middle child won't automatically make you the mediator and the wisest of the family.

But somehow, being born as the oldest and strongest could always make you the leader.

Nigredo learned this while he was still gazing over at Rubedo, and Albedo's constant nagging at his twin. _Red_ and _White_ were practically glued at the heart when they were still in their tube. Somehow, the closeness never ended for Albedo even after their medical separation by the researcher's, and the younger of the twin latched himself on the elder. They remained inseparable— and Albedo made his adoration seemed eerie in the eyes of strangers. Some would refer to it as worshipping, like a thrall to the relied deity. Fortunately for him, Rubedo never minded his overt brother complex, and remained nonchalant for him. Twins are bizarre in that way. And Nigredo's afraid he'd never have that kind of understanding when it comes for Rubedo and Albedo, what's with the ability bestowed upon them and all. Sometimes he would see his fingers trembled and his lips twitched on the mention of U-DO's name, and Nigredo would blink, pretending that he didn't see it.

Still, Nigredo was among the special of six hundred and sixty nine of Yuriev's off springs, and he glued himself to them automatically, the variant he is, though his admiration for the leader never grew as much as Albedo did. Dear _father_, Yuriev, had always treated them like objects, tools of war to utilize, and he never failed to assert it through the last 12 years of his life and his other 668 siblings.

They vary, the personalities, the way they talked, how they laughed and smiled, despite the same core planted on them.

He had the trouble of bringing his face up the first time he touched the world, and his vision was surrounded of people with the same face, same voice, though not the same hair color and eyes. He asked the question why, what, how, in his head over and over, eyes searching for friendliness and found none. Until it automatically stopped when he finally reached the tenth year, and began questioning Father's true intention of creating six hundred and sixty nine children as utilities of war.

Albedo loved clinging to Rubedo every time he could. He would call Albedo's affection as brotherly love, but some that didn't know they that well would have considered it a mania. Albedo loved playing his favorite record over and over, until he realized that he already memorized every lyric and tune of the song, and switched the record. He could sometimes hear Albedo's favorite tune in his sleep, and the white haired boy hummed in tune to it, tapping his heels rhythmically to the floor. He didn't know how or where Albedo got that ancient 'see-dee' player, with round plastic discs that shined of seven colors whenever he directed them to the sun.

At day light, he would be the loyal listener of the red-head, hearing intently on Rubedo's news flash about the fragile Sakura Mizrahi, or nodding his head obediently every time the older one needed approval on his taste on armed weapons. Rubedo craved guns ever since the training has involved fire arms and such, and he would swoon with his eyes younger than twelve every time the researchers let him handle a better gun. He knew his older brother was Father's and many researchers' favorite, despite how his impatience and recklessness has forced Nigredo to, sometimes, be the shadow leader of the trio. Albedo never questioned Rubedo's wisdom, not once, and he would get rid of anyone that stood in Rubedo's way, URTV or not.

A lackey. That's how the researchers valued him, and he realized that the rest of the world did the same. The telepathic ability showed up sooner than expected, but by then they have intended him to be a supplement other than the real thing since the beginning. He didn't get what it takes to be The One, he didn't react to U-DO and couldn't fight it if the time ever comes, though they christened him number 669 as the last child 'Nigredo', blackened with letdown and DNA failure. The perfect black horse, dedicated as the king's pawn.

Sometimes he could hear the older URTVs wincing at them, at the red-head the most, pushing themselves away but clinging to him, The One, at the same time. They hate Rubedo and they love Rubedo, but it never stopped to make him smile.

No, perhaps not. Rubedo never really smiles before he met that Mizrahi girl, didn't he? Being in the laboratory compound always reminded him of his origin, and the impending battle. A reason why he kept looking for her, maybe, but he didn't realize what this habit's outcome for dearest Albedo, paled by his jealousy and his brother complex, and he would spent countless hours speaking to none, with the see-dee player's volume went between the ear drum's tolerances.

Fortunately for Albedo, getting new ear drums was never a problem he has to deal with. Or a new leg or a new head for that matter.

Unfortunately for Albedo, the gift he's bestowed with was like a binding, unbreakable curse. He feared and loathed loneliness the most, and that's why on a warm sunny afternoon where Rubedo's off to visit Sakura in 'Neverland' which Albedo preferred it, he would turn on the stereo full-blast while he's not off digging on dirt, ignoring how the world around him would snicker. Sometimes, just sometimes, Albedo would do anything to part himself from them, and would even spend his night reaching to Rubedo's side of the bed.

_There is good and bad in ev'ryone,  
We learn to live, we learn to give_

The stereo played a tune that seemed like millenias ago, and Albedo was listening with his eyes closed, and his head bent to his back. _I think I almost hear him sing. Or not._ He stepped backward alarmingly as Albedo's eyes suddenly snapped open, and reached over the nearby desk before colliding on the floor. His breath got caught in his chest, and for a while there Albedo watched him stumble as if saving his dear life from a prey. When Albedo opened his mouth to speak, it was so low that Nigredo was prompted to read his brother's lips.

_Each other what we need to survive together alive.__  
Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony_

"Do you like it, Nigredo?"

At first, he didn't quite catch it. "What?"

"This song," Albedo pointed the old stereo set. "Does it sound nice?"

The twins, much to everyone's amusement has different set of hobbies. Rubedo has a fetish for old stories and guns—it never occurred to Nigredo that his twin will considered old tune and melodies as a relaxation. Does it really matter? _I don't think he really cares what I like or not._ "I guess." He reached the desk's edge and helped himself up.

Albedo laughed, pointing the ceilings with his chin, and a shudder ran through Nigredo's spine. "What?"

"This song is titled Ebony and Ivory," he pronounced it, slowly like a hum, "by Paul McCartney."

_We all know that people are the same where ever we go_

Albedo had his hands on the floor, and Nigredo found dirt, ever existence in his brother's nails.

"Where have you been?"

"Digging our graves," Albedo said under his breath, "So when I die, I won't be alone."

"Never-Neverland is too exciting for Peter Pan," Albedo hissed, "He chose Wendy over the Lost Boys, who are entirely forgotten and I'm just so sadsadsadsadsad because he's going to leave him for the little wench. Why would he do that? I can call him wonderful as many times a day if he wants it. I will never ever leave him for a weak girl who can't speak in the real world. What does she see in her? I'm one thousand times better than her, that bitch… she seduced him so he'd separate from me and hog Rubedo all for herself."

The tone in his voice had confirmed the truth of his every words, and Nigredo really felt like raising his hand and gave him a punch of the lifetime to stop the out of place joke. If only it was a joke. But Albedo would try to blow up his head again if he had asked Albedo to stop saying that. Nigredo never liked his brother's blood and brain scattered all over the place, so he swallowed hard and spoke. "Do you intent to kill us?"

"I don't want to be alone."

"Do you?"

"I hate being alone."

"Do you?"

"I hate you and Rubedo for leaving me alone."

"Do you wished us to die now?"

"I hate you all and wish that I'll die when you die."

_The day when you die, I'll die too._

"We're tools because we're foolish. We let others control and use us."

"No. We're not tools. We're just-"

Albedo stopped talking at the sight of his own hands, half drenched in blood stench and half covered in dirt, and closed his eyes. "Forget about that, Nigredo," And then he turned around, with his twelve year old child look in every line of his face, and grinned. "Why did you come here?"

Nigredo shook his head slightly at his brother's dire expression transform, and sighed inwardly. He had almost forgotten the reason why he was there in the first place. As he searched in his brain for a good reply, Albedo got off from the floor and tapped several buttons on the stereo, and the buzzing noise from the loudspeakers was gone in an instant. "Uh...there's something I want to show you, but I wanted to wait until Rubedo comes back from the dive,"

"Hey, guys! Come here with me!" Rubedo came barging in, and Albedo had forgotten about it instantly, as he ran through the sliding doors, and Nigredo had no choice to follow them. Rubedo's smile was more mischievous and excited than ever, as he led them through broken walls and hidden holes only passable by a 12 year old, and they reached a corner of the facility, filled with wild grass and dandelions. The dust around the equipment proved of abandonment from decades ago, and Nigredo had to fight with tangled spider webs around his head when he could finally stand up.

Rubedo produced a bottle filled with white liquid, and poured the content carefully into a small bowl. He crouched and placed the bowl slowly, and called out into the dark and dusty corner in front of him. "Come on out here," he clicked his tongue rhythmically, "I've brought you milk."

Albedo was crouching beside him with a curious and eager look, and jumped up when he saw the corner suddenly moved. "I-It's a monster!"

When the monster came out under the boxes of unused equipments, it meowed softly, and Rubedo smiled contently at it. "Come on, drink it."

Nigredo knew he had seen the four legged little creature lurking around somewhere, but he never knew that Rubedo would find it after he did. "How did you find him, Rubedo?"

"I hear him crying," The red head said, patting the creature's head as it slurped the milk quickly.

Meanwhile, Albedo has slowly emerged from Nigredo's back, and returned to crouch at Rubedo's side. "Wha-what is he?"

"This is a cat, Albedo. You should know it from those old books we read," Nigredo replied, watching the furball licking his paws.

Albedo's eyes got wider at the mention of the word 'cat', and he shyly reached forward, trying to touch the cat's forehead. It purred softly when Albedo did, and the boy laughed nervously. "I-I think he's cute."

The little feline moved his head forward, and it reached Nigredo's shoe, caressing his little head at the tips of his trousers.

"He likes Nigredo," Rubedo laughed, as he saw Nigredo pick the kitten up. "There're empty milk cartoons on the back. Did you already find him before I did, Nigredo?"

"I really wanted to tell you, but you're always in the Encephalon," Nigredo finally answered. "And I couldn't find Albedo anywhere."

"We have to give him a name," Rubedo said.

Albedo knit his eyebrows thoughtfully, and took the cat from Nigredo's arms, rising it highly to the air. "I know! We'll name him Cart!"

"Cart!" Rubedo hissed, faking an annoyed face. "You have no naming sense. I think Peter or John or Michael, or—hey, don't you think Lion sounds nice?"

"He's not a lion, he's a cat!"

"It's better than Cart or Wonder!"

Nigredo watched the twins argued about whether 'Wonder' or 'Tiger' would sound better, and the kitten became forgotten, as it made itself back to Nigredo's feet.

"How about Gaignun?"

Nigredo's question brought the twins' argument to a halt, and they stared at him intently. "Gaignun?" Rubedo was the first to speak.

"I once read a book titled 'the song of Roland' in your shelf. It's this story about the great King Marsil and his great steed, Gaig-"

"Gaignun! What a great name!" Rubedo exclaimed loudly, and took the kitten again from Nigredo's hold.

"King Marsil rode on Gaignun and slays his enemies. He is... the black horse of famine."

But Albedo and Rubedo was already fixated on that name and continued calling the kitten that way, rising it highly up on the sky, and Nigredo didn't even know if he was still talking about naming the kitten or not.


	3. 3rd song: Malefactor

**_"There is always some madness in love. But there is also some reason in madness." -Friedrich Nietzsche _**

_- _

**"Is it a date?" **

Jin's voice over the loudspeakers were almost filled with static, but it made Shion looked up from her heap of dresses on top of the bed long enough to stare at her brother's face on the screen. He was sporting the usual goofy look that made her wanted to fly over to Second Miltia just to strangle him. The pretentious, uninterested tone that she learned later in her early teens that Jin only used it to his terminal patients.

But she trained long enough to show immense dislike to her brother.

"No, it's not. Why do you ask?"

She thought she would see her brother raise an eyebrow—but the former captain didn't even blink. **"You're checking yourself in the mirror again."**

"I said, it's _not_ a date." She replied snappily.

**"Try the blue one. The red one looks too slutty." **

"Even if it is, it's not your problem. I'm simply choosing not to go home for the holiday. The Dammerung has many quirks that Second Miltia doesn't."

**"What's his name?" **

"It's Kev--" but she stopped in a split second, shooting the screen an irate look, noticing a spark of triumph in Jin's eyes.

**"So where do you meet this 'Kev'?" **

"I'm logging off, Jin."

**"Shion, wai---" **

Smiling to the dead monitor with a bit of self-satisfaction, Shion reached for the red dress instead.

---

Kevin saw her first, emerging through the sea of Vector employees, looking out of place with her striking red dress. He had even started the first phase in front of the other 1st division staffs, asking her out to dinner, being acutely aware of Ridgeley's jealous stare from the side. Ignoring it was easy, and he didn't miss Allen's dejected look when Shion concurred.

On her first day, she had looked up from her monitor and stared at him without any trace of recognition at his self-introduction. (Kevin Winnicot, nice to meet you. _It's been a long time, and you've turned into a lovely young woman, Shion.)_The last sentence was on the tip of his tongue, and for a second, he thought she was remembering his voice and the contour of his face as she shook his hand. She had smiled at him like they knew each other from another lifetime before turning back to her work, and wore the blank face again. _But of course,_ Kevin thought. _Sometimes memories are better off forgotten. _

It wasn't easy being the one that still remember.

Then she finally noticed him, and Kevin instantly smiled and waved back—the power she has over him were a wonder, even after all the years.

She pushed her hair out of her face and grinned. "Did you wait long?"

"I've just arrived. Shall we go?" He gently held her hand, leading her through the crowd. He had expected her to duck her face and blush.

But Shion didn't, and he could feel her squeezing back with equal tenderness, and inside his chest there's a faint heartbeat that he thought he had lost.

---

_"I'm telling the researchers about this. There's no letting you out." _

_She had her face down, hands folded neatly in front of her. "I'm sorry." _

_"But why? You're not supposed to--" _

_There was a longing look in her eyes, and he wanted so much to look away. "I simply chose to do what my hearts tells me. Yes, I'm not a human. But I love him." _

_"Febronia!" _

_"It was as if I was born for that very person. All of my reasons and being simply exist for him." _

_"You're crazy! It can't be--" _

_"You should understand, Kevin. It's just like what you feel for Shion. You just haven't realize yet--" _

_It was said with the gentlest of smile, like the words a mother said to her stubborn child. At that time, he was more shocked at a Realian telling him about feelings he never knew he had, and years after her death that he finally understood Febronia's unspoken words. _

_--that you love her. _

---

In spite of his first doubts and her initial shyness, both of them found themselves comfortable in each other's company. Bringing her a simple bouquet of cosmos—something she received with a longing look.

"I hope you don't mind it's just sandwich and tea," Kevin said, handing her a ham and cheese sandwich.

"Don't worry about it. Food is the same to me everywhere." She accepted the food, and looked at him in the eye with memorable fondness. "It's the company that I enjoyed more."

They were in a park on board the Dämmerung, ringed with lush trees that one could easily mistake as a scene from a planet. Their date was supposed to be held at a restaurant, but at Saturday night, one could easily forget how crowded a popular place can get. It was the scenery that most lovers enjoyed, ringed with a remarkable outlook of the warship, the light from Vector's countless divisions made it felt like they were traveling into space, with the glass ceiling showing countless stars.

This was how he wanted to remember her—pure and blissful, unhurt by the past. "You look beautiful in that dress."

"Thank you." She smiled, giving her sandwich a bite, wiping the edge of her mouth with the tip of her fingers. "My brother had said something unpleasant about it, but I'm glad you like it."

"You're not what you wear. No offense, but I think your brother was thinking about too many unpleasant thoughts with the dress." Of course, the Vector uniform already showed enough cleavage, but Shion's red dress was more fashionably enticing. "But it's nice to have a sibling."

Slowly, she reached out and rubbed his forearm—a gesture that was barely intimate but affectionate, but Kevin tried to stifle a shudder. He hadn't expected it to go this well. Part of him wanted the whole 'courtship' to fail and stop himself from breaking her heart, waiting for any telltale sign that said 'abort mission', but at the back of his mind an obligation tugged dutifully.

_He will not fail her like he failed his mother. _

They didn't discuss their family that often in the future, and Kevin didn't even remember what they talked about, if she shared her fear or worries or even her most darkest secrets that he possibly knows until it was time that he walked her home, his basket empty and they were full with his home-made food, Shion towing one hand around his arm, and both of them not really enjoying the park's scenery.

"Well, this is it," Shion said, pausing before the door to her room. "I had a really nice time, Kevin."

"So am I." Pause for effect, and he slowly leaned in, giving her enough time to close her eyes and griping into the hem of his jacket, burning the image of her in a red dress into his memory, the auburn tresses framing her face, kissing her long enough to mean it more than just a peck and nothing too grubby. And even then, Wilhelm's words went subconsciously to mind, pulling him back to reality.

_'In ways more than one, you've created her enough hell to last for a lifetime.' _

These were the days he'll remember as sharing ketchup flavored kisses, smelling autumn buds in her hair, bending over her on his bed. It was when she kissed him back that Kevin felt like he had not gotten away with murder.


End file.
